Draft device for tractors and the like



T. E. McCOLLUM' DRAFT DEVICE FOR TRACTOBS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18.1921.

1,408,107. v Patented Feb. 28,, 1922.

v INVENTOR v THbMnsEMc COLLUM UNITED STATES;

PATENT'OFFI THOMAS EDWARDMOCOLLUM, 0F WINONA, ONTARIO, CANADA.-

DRAFT'IDEVIGE FOR TRACTORS AND THE LIKE.

ner of connecting the draft implements to a tractor whereby a more uniform and Qfil".

cient distribution of the pull upon the tractor, due to these draft implements, is

obtained thus' enabling the tractor at all times to travel in a straight path; a further object is to increase the tractive effort of the front wheels of the tractor; a further object is to facilitate the operation of plowing. close up to trees and similar objects;

and a still further object is to prevent the front Wheels from lifting clear off the ground thus reducing the likelihood of the tractor turning turtle backwards and causmg serlous accidents. j

My invention consists essentially of a pair,

of draw barv rods extending obliquely of the tractor and having their front ends connect ed to the tractor frame at each side thereof and above the front axle, said rods passing rearwardly under the rear axle and crossing each other intermediately of the tractor, hangers carried by the rear axle and freely supporting the draw bar rods and a crossbar at the rear of the tractor, the rear ends of the draw bar rods secured to said cross bar at each side thereof. and the cross bar provided with aseries of orifices for connecting the draft implements, all as hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a tractor, including the frame and the front and'rear drive wheels, and showing my invention applied thereto,

, Fig.2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1" with the near wheels and near side member of the frame removed.

Fig. 3 is a rear view showing the manner of'supporting the draw bar rods in hangers below the rear axle.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb,

Application filed July 18, 1921. Serial No. 485,665. I i

Fig. 4 is a side view of the hanger assembly shown detached from the rear axle.

Fig. 5 isan end view of Fig. 4.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different views.

1 indicates any tractor having the frame 2, the front drive wheels 3, carried by the live front axle 4 and the rear drive wheels 5 carried by the live rear axle 6.,

7 and 8 are the drive shafts connecting respectively the differentials in the front and rear axles 4: and .5 to the main transmission of the tractor. ."Since the operation of this part of mytractor follows the; usual practice and forms no part of my present invention the details of construction will not be further described. .1 r

9 is an angle bar secured to the frame2 above the front axle 4 and extends trans versely of the frame, constituting a cross bar in the frame.

through orifices at each side of the'cro'ss bar 9 and are held against withdrawal rearwardlyby thenuts 12. Y i a v These draw bar rods 10. and 11' extend rearwardly of the tractor and are disposed obliquely of the frame, crossing each other intermediately of the length of the frame at A. They pass below therear axle andare freely supported therefrom in'hangers 13. The rear ends of the draw bar rods are secured to an angle bar 14. The draw bar rods extend through orifices at each end. of the angle bar, being secured by nuts 15. This angle bar 14 thus constitutes a cross, bar carried by therdraw bar rods at the rear of the tractor. The angle bar is provided 1 with a series of spaced orifices ,16 extending thereacross. 17 is the draft arm of a plow or other draft implement and its forward hooked v end is adapted for engagement with any one of theorifices 16. I v

Thehangers 13 comprise the split clamp portions 13 adapted toengage the rear axle housing and to be secured thereon by the position at the sametime as the clamp 13 being inserted between the flanged clamp,

draw bar rods10 and 11 pass rearwardly from this point-below the rear axle.

' Formerly the draft implements have been connected directly to the rear of the tractor frame withthe result that when'in. operation there is a marked tendency under heavy loads to lift the front'wheels off the ground or to at least reduce the effective weight of I the frontwheels on'the ground.

"In the.fo ur wheel drive tractor this has naturally had thelefi'ect of very materially lesseningthejgrip of the front wheels on the ground" with a consequent reduction in the traetiye effort of the tractor.

- 1 m i a of work that the draft implements be offset Also serious accidents have frequently resulted from the front wheels being lifted clear oif the ground and the complete tractor turning turtlebackwards.

Further this tendency to lift the front wheels off the ground naturally interferes tractor.

very seriously withj' fthef steering of the.

fi th my 7 improved draft I device 7 this is r not the case since under load there is a moment tending to force the frontwheels downwardlythus'increasing the tractive effort of thefront wheels. s

It is "frequently necessary in many classes laterally such as when plowing close up to trees when it is necessary that the plows be offset to one side of the tractor.

this class o'fwork tomaintain the tractor traveli'ngin a straight path vsince the pull of the draft implements being applied, at

oneside of the tractor has had a tendency'to skew the tractor into a course oblique to the reet n otp owin e Ithasbeen with a vie of remedying this formerftrouble that I have devised'my in l iin- It has been demonstrated by the use L of mydevice in actual 'practicerth'atia greatly improved performance of the tractor is obrv i w ta nedinrases where the pointof connection of. he; 'irnplements is offset laterally towards one side'of the tractor,'such as at Cor D in ig. 1, that the tendency of the tractor toskew obliquely very greatly T QRQ QJT Many,'m d fica smy de in i vention without departing from iu he qe g t- Eo'rmerlp it has been difiicnlt when doing claims and therefore the forms showniare to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

For instance, while I, have described and illustrated my invention as applied to a four wheel drive tractor and while the advantage as regards increasing the tractive effort vof: the front Wheels is naturally only applicable to that type, it is to be understood that this i'n'iproved draft arrangement would have marked advantages for a tractor; havingrear drivewheels only as the feature of overcoming the tendency to skew obliquely;- would be applicable to this type. Alsojas; stated the tendency to turn turtle backwards} is reduced and since the weightfon the front"w wheels is notreduced by the draft pull, the; steering is notinterfered with. i l f Further, various otherspecific methods of, securing the front ends of the draw bar rods; above the front axle might be used in place of the cross bar 9. t c

From the] foregoing it will be; evident. that I have devised}valuableiirnprovements in draft devices for tractors "which w illij greatly increase the efficiency and general adaptability of these' machines and-will also reduce the likelihood of serious tenders;

What I claim as myinvention is 1. 'In a tractor thecombination with the; 9 5 front and rear was thereof,ofja pair of; draft rods secured above the frontaxleand at each side of the tractor, said rods extenidf ing obliquely rearwardly 'andfpassing below the rear axle and crossing each; other inter} 1.00 mediately of the length of'the tractor, hangers carried by therear axle and engage-1 ing the draft rods, and ja fdraft connei:ting: meinber carried by therear ends of the draft roc s. r

2. In a tractor the combination withQthe front and rear axles thereof, of a pair, of draft rodssecured above thefront axlefand, at each side ofthe tractor, said rods extend; ing obliquely rearw ardly and {passing below the rear axle and crossingreach otherlinterl-I inejdiately of the length of "the." nectar, hangers carried by the rear-axle andren gag ingthe draft rods, andarigid crossbar-con necting [the rear ,endsof the draftrods; a 1-15 3. Ina tractor the combination with. the, front andjrear axles thereof, of a pair ofi' draft rods secured {aboveithe front axle .an dl: at eachside of the. tractor, said "messaged; ing obliquely rearwardly an'dpassingbeloii the rea l and m'essinaea ii th ifi mediately of the length? of fthejtratorg hangerslcarried, by the. rear axle and ing the draftrods anda rigidcross barlcong necting the rear ends of ithefl draftl rods; said cross barprovided with a pluralityiofspaced orifices." '1

4. In a tractor the .rOmbinatiQmWithytIie ie t ndirearlaliil hei'eo fi fzai 1. vice comprls'iiig a pair m "I ing obliquely of the tractor and crossed intermediately of their length, the front ends of said rods secured to the tractor against withdrawal rearwardly above the front axle and the rods passing rearwardly below the rear axle and loosely supported therefrom, and a rigid cross bar connecting the rear ends of the rods.

5. In a tractor the combination with the front and rear axles thereof, of a draft device comprising a pair of draft rods extending obliquely of the tractor and crossed intermediately of their length, the front ends of said rods secured to the tractor against Withdrawal rearwardly above the front axle and the rods passing rearwardly below the rear axle, a pair of hangers carried by the rear axle, the draft rods loosely supported. in said hangers, a rigid cross bar connecting the rear ends of the rods, said cross bar provided with a plurality of spaced orifices extending thereacross.

6. In a tractor the combination with the front and rear axles thereof and the frame of the tractor, of a draft device comprising a pair of draft rods extending obliquely of the tractor and crossed intermediately of their length, a cross bar secured in the frame above the front axle, the front ends of said rods loosely engaging orifices in said cross bar and secured to said cross bar against withdrawal rearwardly at each side of the tractor,'said rods extending rearwardly and passing below the rear axle, a pair of hangers carried by the rear axle, the draft rods loosely supported in said hangers, and a rigid cross bar connecting the rear ends of the rods, said cross bar provided with a plurality of spaced orifices extending thereacross.

THOMAS EDWARD MOCOLLUM.

- Witnesses:

J OHN J HAYWOOD,

NORIEEN Coins. 

